Summary: Paul's plea to Caesar is starting to happen, as he boards a boat towards Rome; God protects him even though (to make a long story short) getting shipwrecked.
Response: There was never a doubt from Paul that he would survive this ordeal--and never a doubt that the ordeal would need to take place, either. I only hope the Lord can give me such confidence to see different circumstances as opportunities, not disasters.
Summary: Paul testifies now before Agrippa, who understands his situation. He understands, but Agrippa cannot release Paul because he must first see Caesar, and Agrippa and Felix wash their hands of the affair.
Response: Like everyone else, I feel busy quite often. I know I need to get out and be the hands of Jesus somewhere, but like the nobles, I often stop at simply giving my opinion and moving on.
Summary: Paul's accusers try to game the system, asking the new governor, Felix, to move Paul (where they would ambush him). Paul replies that he'd much rather be on trial before Caesar, which Felix consents to. Still, Felix wants a second opinion, so he brings Paul before a visiting dignitary, King Agrippa.
Response: I'll be honest, I liked the spread of the Gospel better than persecution, but it is great seeing God's hand move to protect Paul, and I know that same hand guards me. When I let it, of course.
Summary: Paul, on trial with the governor, is accused by the high priest of disturbing the peace. Paul offers a faith-based defense that the governor needs time to process. Unfortunately, that process ends up taking longer than the governor's time in office.
Response: Literally facing his accusers, Paul does not attack them directly. I'm not sure I could do the same.
Summary: Paul testifies before the actual Jewish Council, which goes about as well as one can expect. He has to be dragged from there by the Roman guard and snuck away by them to a nearby governor when a few dozen men make a pact to kill Paul.
Response: Paul's testimony, unlike other times, barely gets one sentence in before it is interrupted and ended. But he made it count. I pray that my talking (mostly with students at the moment) really does show the Christ in me.
Summary: Paul talks to the angry mob of Jews outside the Roman barracks in Jerusalem. Giving his testimony angers the crowd, so he is brought into the barracks, but protected due to his Roman citizenship.
Response: I sort of have dual citizenship, both in the Christian music world and either classical or secular music, too. My expertise in one bleeds into the others, and makes me more effective. God may be calling you (and me) not to a far off place but just to the people around you, the ones who may be just outside that heavenly influence.
Summary: Each town Paul visits on his way back to Jerusalem has a church member who warns him not to go or be imprisoned. But he does go and, after some dialogue with the apostles, big surprise--he's arrested.
Response: I think Paul knows he's walking a very fine line talking about Gentiles to Jews. The apostles sounded like they hadn't fully worked out the thought process behind all of this, and of course the crowds are frenzied at this point. I hope I can avoid the knee jerk reaction to God's hand like this and search for His wisdom in the crazy.
